New players: Religious parties optimistic about affecting results

MWM candidates are expected to cause an upset by putting a dent into the vote bank of various contenders.

KARACHI:

With their diverse political views and manifestos, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) will be vying for seats the first time.

Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST), the religious party which boycotted the 2008 general elections, will also be showing its political clout today. In interviews with The Express Tribune, leaders of the three religious parties said that even if their candidates across the city don’t win a single seat, they will affect the outcomes as they’ll cut into the vote banks of the major contenders. ASWJ’s Maulana Akbar Saeed Farooqi said, “We have plenty of support in areas where we have fielded our candidates. In the past, we just used to support other political and religious parties. Even if our voters can’t make us win a seat, they’ll still change the election results.” His party is contesting from the platform of Muttahida Deeni Mahaz (MDM), which is being headed by Maulana Samiul Haq.

MWM is contesting across the country with a ladder as its election symbol. Its candidates for NA-239, NA-257 and NA-258 have mustered quite a lot of support among those who will cast their votes on the basis of sect. They are expected to cause an upset by putting a dent into the vote bank of various contenders.



“As it is our first time, it will be difficult to get seats but we will definitely cut the votes of others,” said Farooqi. MWM is contesting for five National Assembly and seven provincial assembly seats in Karachi, with a tent as its election symbol. The party is in a position to cut into the vote bank of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). “In previous elections, the majority of votes from the Shia community went to MQM. But this time the vote will be divided,” said MWM’s political secretary, Asghar Zaidi.

PST boycotted the previous elections and its votes went to other parties but this time candidates are in the running for NA-240, NA-241, NA-244 and NA-251 in Karachi as well as the provincial assembly seats which fall in these constituencies. “We are striving to win these seats and in case we lose, we will at least weaken the position of our rival parties,” said Faheemuddin Sheikh, PST’s media secretary. The party took the fourth highest number votes in the 2002 general election but could not get any seat. This time the party is contesting with a table lamp as its election symbol.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2013.